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Rishibhashit : A Study
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practices purgation is apathetic and equanimous achieves liberation soon. He is not reborn.
Schubring believes that the compiler of this work was clearly influenced by the Chaturyam (four dimensional) of Parshwa. That is the reason that celibacy and non-possessiveness have been put in one category. Accepting ahimsa and truth as the basis of purgation or purity indicates that Narad propagated inner purity as well, besides physical purity. Narad has been mentioned as preacher of apathy, detachment and liberation also. At the end of this chapter there are directions for a mendicant to be truthful, light eater, and celibate. It is worth speculating if it is not the three dimensional (Triyam) concept mentioned in Acharanga.
Generally speaking, the concepts of ahimsa, truthfulness, nonstealing, celibacy, non-possesiveness, inner purity, and apathy have been common to almost all schools of Indian thought. As such there should be no objection in accepting that these preachings of Narad were his independent thoughts.
This should also be kept in mind that in Jain tradition Narad was such an influential personality that in later periods with the conception of nine Baldevs and nine Vasudevs, nine Narads were also conceived. In Aupapatik there is a mention of separate tradition of Naradiya Parivrajaks.
In Buddhist tradition also we find mention of many Narads. First is that out of the supposed twenty four Buddhas the ninth Buddha has been named Narad 46. Besides this, in the Atthakatha of Thergatha there is a Brahman named Narad, who is contemporary of the Padmottar Buddha. Similarly, there is another Brahman Narad contemporary of Arthadarshi Buddha in the same book48. Also in Buddhist literature the name of a minister of King Brahmadatta of Varanasi is Narad49. A ruler of Mithila is also named Narad50. But in my opinion there is no connection of all these Narads with the Narad of Rishibhashit.
In Buddhist literature there is a mention of Narad belonging to Kashyap clan51. He has also been stated as Brahman Rishi Narad Dev. At some places he has been called as Narad Deval. But, to me, it appears that Narad and Deval are two seperate individuals. In Mahabharat there is a mention of dialogue between Narad and Deval. As such it can be infered that Narad and Deval were contemporaries. In my opinion Narad Dev of Buddhist literature and Dev Narad of Rishibhashit must have been the same person,
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